Jewels

The Jewels of Sri Raya Ramananda Samvada

Since today is Sri Ramananda Raya's disappearance day, and also the day that Sriman Tirtha Maharaja left us to go to Brisbane [sob] :( I thought that I might share with you a lovely piece of sastra which is one of my favourites.

The mangalarcana of Sri Raya Ramananda Samvada states:

sancarya ramabhidha-bhakta-meghe
sva-bhakti-siddhanta-cayamrtani
gaurabdhir etair amuna vitirnais
taj-jnatva-ratnalayatam prayati

Sri Gauranga Mahaprabhu is a boundless, nectarean ocean of

the established conclusions of devotion (bhakti-siddhantas), and

His devotee Sri Ramananda Raya is the cloud whom He filled

with these conclusions about devotion to Him. When Mahaprabhu

experienced the rain of bhakti-tattvas that the Ramananda-cloud

showered upon Him, He was transformed into an ocean of jewels.

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Source: Sri Raya Ramananda Raya Samvada page 1

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The most splendid jewel of all these jewels, in my humble opinion, is:

8.92    

 (Sri Caitanya Caritamrta Madhya Lila 8.92)
na paraye ’ham niravadya-samyujam
sva-sadhu-krtyam vibudhayusapi vah
ya mabhajan durjara-geha-srnkhalah
samvrscya tad vah pratiyatu sadhuna

“ ‘My darling gopis, your meeting Me is innocent and immaculate

in every respect because it is devoid of even a single iota of desire

for your own happiness. It is overflowing with supremely pure love.

Although the bonds of affection for the members of one’s own

home are impossible to overcome, you have completely demolished

them. Thus, for loving service to Me, you have transgressed the

moral laws of this world. Even if I lived as long as the gods I would

be unable to requite even one drop of your love, sacrifice, and

service. All of you may free Me from debt simply by your own

gentle nature, but I am forever the debtor of your prema, and will

always continue to be.’

The quality that makes this kanta-prema the most excellent is that

only in this rasa has Sri Krsna allowed Himself to fall into debt. This

prema-madhurya of the gopis is the axle and Sri Krsna is the wheel

upon that axle, resting and rotating upon that central object. If one

removes the axle, or the gopis, from the wheel, Sri Krsna, then He

becomes nirvisesa, or featureless (impersonal), in the sense that He can

do nothing. The sentiments of the gopis are the cause of the increase in

Sri Krsna’s beauty.

When and why did Sri Krsna become indebted to the gopis? The

reply is that when rasa-lila was going on, the other gopis developed pride

in their own good fortune, and the daughter of Sri Vrsabhanu Maharaja,

Sri Radha, became sulky. To establish in this world the super-excellence

of Srimati Radhika’s mood of separation and also in order for Sri Krsna

to directly taste and hear the nectar of Sri Radha and the other gopis’

talks in separation from Him, He disappeared from rasa-lila.

The gopis, absorbed in their moods of separation from Krsna, began

inquiring about Him from the trees, creepers, tulasi, and the Yamuna,

but they received no reply from them. Suddenly they saw Sri Krsna’s

footprints, and with them the footprints of a young girl. The other

gopis began to extol the good fortune of that particular gopi, who

was alone with Sri Krsna. They began to follow the footprints until

they encountered Sri Radha lying upon the ground, unconscious in

separation from Sri Krsna, looking like a golden doll. The other gopis

pacified Her. After this all the gopis gathered together on the banks

of the river Yamuna in like-minded groups, and while weeping they

began kirtana. This singing of the gopés is known as the Gopi-gita.

Upon hearing this song, Sri Krsna could not check Himself and came

into their presence.

All the gopis took their veils, which were covered with kumkuma from

their breasts, and laying them upon the ground they prepared a seat for

Him, on which He was seated. The gopis, being situated in madhurya-rasa,

proceeded to ask Sri Syamasundara a variety of questions, and He

cleverly answered all of them. But those questions that were completely

overflowing with prema, Sri Krsna could not answer, and He became

eternally indebted to the gopis.

Our most worshipful Gosvamis mention that not even the eulogies

composed by Lord Brahma can give Him the joy He experienced in

becoming indebted to the gopis. At certain opportune instances, Sri

Krsna has released Himself from His indebtedness to the devotees of all

the other rasas, but when He attempted to free Himself from His debt to

the gopés in madhurya-rasa, He became even more indebted.

yadyapi saundarya krsna-madhuryera dhurya
vraja-devira sange tanra badaye madhurya

“Although Sri Krsna represents the ultimate limit of unparalleled

beauty and sweetness, still in the association of the Vraja gopis His

beauty and sweetness increases ad infinitum.

Although Sri Krsna’s beauty and sweetness, upon reaching their

utmost limit, have no opportunity for increasing any further, whenever

the gopis and Krsna see one another, His beauty and sweetness repeatedly

increase. This sweetness contains such inconceivable and astonishing

power that when the gopis encounter His beauty and sweetness they

become filled with joy, and when Sri Krsna sees their joyful happiness,

then He becomes exceedingly pleased. Sri Krsna understands that He is

giving happiness to the gopis, and the gopis become joyful because they

know that their service is giving Him happiness. In this mutual dealing

of pleasing one another, there exists an eternal rivalry.

tatratisusubhe tibhir bhagavan devaki-sutah
madhye maninam haimanam maha-marakato yatha

                                                          Srimad-Bhagavatam (10.33.6)

“ ‘In the midst of the dancing gopis, Bhagavan Sri Krsna appears

most beautiful, like an exquisite sapphire in the midst of golden

ornaments.’ ”

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Source: Sri Raya Ramananda Raya Samvada pp 103-5

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This verse and Srila Gurudeva's explanation explains the way that all life works. There is no mechanical, chemical explanation as scientists think; this is the real power of all creation and all existence. Prema is the very purpose and powerhouse of existence. Everything is so very, very personal. This is so sweet. Sri Sri Guru and Gauranga are filled with, composed of and overflowing with the sweetest nectar.

Understanding life, her purpose, and the process of perfecting life, as so extremely personal makes it clear to me that all dealings with other devotees must be so gentle, sweet and on a deep, personal level, otherwise we are not in line with the purpose of our existence.

Sri Sri Guru and Gauranga ki JAYA!!!!!

Servant of ALL the devotees
tkd